bone health-related stories
Life Fit with Laura Lewis: Can Anti-Depressants Affect More Than Mood
Being Life Fit is about your total health, including the health of all of your relationships. Life Fit is a journey, not a destination. It is a process of continuous growth: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Check in each Tuesday to Life Fit with Laura Lewis, author of "52 Ways To A Healthy You," as we explore our total life fitness. Then, weigh in with your own thoughts over at Laura's "Life Fit Chat" each Wednesday and Thursday for further discussion on the week's topic. Or check out "Ask Laura" every Friday for answers! For more information visit Laura at www.LauraLewis.com.With an estimated 10% of American men and women on some sort of pharmaceutical anti-depressant the question of whether or not these medications will have long-term negative side affects is certainly warranted. Recent studies suggest that one long-term effect of pharmaceutical anti-depressants is brittle bones and an increased chance of bone fractures. Not good news for the millions of aging Americans battling depression.
Leslie Spangler, a researcher at Group Health, a Seattle-based health plan researcher, found that post-menopausal women taking prescribed anti-depressants experience a significantly greater number of fractures to the spine, as well as to other bone fractures throughout the body. Spangler's research indicates that women are at a 30 percent greater risk of spinal fractures, and 20 percent greater risk of fracturing other bones.
Women taking anti-depressants need to be especially diligent in getting proper levels of calcium. In my book, 52 Ways To A Healthy You, I share with readers natural ways to maintain enough calcium through diet. Dairy products such as yogurt, acidolphilus, regular milk, and low-fat cheeses are excellent sources of calcium. But many people are not able to tolerate these foods. Fortunately, we can get calcium in other foods that few people think of as "high-calcium" foods. Canned salmon and sardines, collard greens, mustard and turnip greens, broccli, kale, soybeans, tofu, almonds, oysters, clams and shrimp are all excellent non-dairy alternatives for obtaining adequate amounts of calcium.
Leslie Spangler, a researcher at Group Health, a Seattle-based health plan researcher, found that post-menopausal women taking prescribed anti-depressants experience a significantly greater number of fractures to the spine, as well as to other bone fractures throughout the body. Spangler's research indicates that women are at a 30 percent greater risk of spinal fractures, and 20 percent greater risk of fracturing other bones.
Women taking anti-depressants need to be especially diligent in getting proper levels of calcium. In my book, 52 Ways To A Healthy You, I share with readers natural ways to maintain enough calcium through diet. Dairy products such as yogurt, acidolphilus, regular milk, and low-fat cheeses are excellent sources of calcium. But many people are not able to tolerate these foods. Fortunately, we can get calcium in other foods that few people think of as "high-calcium" foods. Canned salmon and sardines, collard greens, mustard and turnip greens, broccli, kale, soybeans, tofu, almonds, oysters, clams and shrimp are all excellent non-dairy alternatives for obtaining adequate amounts of calcium.
Daily Fit Tip: Get your calcium
Daily Fit Tip, Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Calcium is a vital nutrient for strong bones and teeth. For women in particular, calcium is important to help ward off osteoporosis later in life. Osteoporosis causes bones to weaken and become brittle -- increasing the risk of breaking bones. Calcium works together with other nutrients -- such as vitamin D -- to build strong bones. So is milk your best source of calcium? Contrary to what we always learned in our youth, it may not be. In fact a Harvard study concluded that there is no evidence that several glasses of milk each day contribute to stronger bones. There are other dietary sources of calcium beyond milk. Give some of these a try:
- Cheese
- Sardines
- Broccoli
- Dark, leafy greens such as kale and collard greens
- Almonds
- Yogurt
- Rhubarb
Family style fitness
Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
A few weeks ago I wrote about fitness ideas for the whole family. Today I ran across this article with some more fun fitness ideas. Exercising with your kids is so important. It sets a healthy example that they'll hopefully carry through their lives. It's also vital to developing strong muscles and bones and prevents childhood obesity. On top of all the health benefits, it's just plain fun! My son is constantly in motion and keeping up with him can be a challenge. But when I step outside of my aerobics box (my exercise of choice) I find that I have a lot of fun keeping fit with my son. Just this morning, for reasons known only to him, my son started a round of hokey-pokey in the kitchen. It got pretty silly and pretty active. By the end of it we were both laughing -- and breathing a bit harder to boot.
Whatever exercise you choose -- walking, hiking, team sports, playing at the playground, dancing in your living room -- you and your kids are sure to see the benefits.
Short, daily exercise periods help bone health in kids
Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
New research this week concluded that improving a child's activity level just slightly can significantly strengthen bones and develop bone mass. Why not encourage about 10 minutes per day of some kind of physical activity?In many cases, recess provides that, and especially if organized sports are part of that playtime. Schools that already don't have organized recess should get on the ball and investigate it, rather than defaulting slowly to jungle gyms and other pieces of equipment that promote passive activity.
Activities like soccer and other little-contact sports provide a great way to exercise without the liability so many schools are concerned with in this litigious age we live in.
Bones 101: What do you know about your skeleton?
Do you know the difference between a broken bone and a fractured one? Or what nutrients besides calcium are crucial to bone health? I know you're busy trying to avoid that big bowl of Halloween candy in the break room, so distract yourself with this quiz about bone health. You may look at those spooky Halloween skeletons in a whole new light, and you may just start doing something extra to keep your own bones healthy.
I scored 7 out of 10, low enough to tell me I needed to "bone up" on my bone knowledge. You can either groan at that horrible pun or go take the quiz yourself and tell us how you did.
I scored 7 out of 10, low enough to tell me I needed to "bone up" on my bone knowledge. You can either groan at that horrible pun or go take the quiz yourself and tell us how you did.
Sally Field speaks on bone health
Celebrities and Entertainment, Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
Actress Sally Field recently visited Capitol Hill to speak about osteoporosis and the need for screening, prevention, and treatment of the condition. Field was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2005 and has been raising awareness about the condition ever since.
With osteoporosis, bone becomes fragile and is more prone to fractures. While any bone can be affected, hip, spine, and wrist bones are the most common sites for injury. Repeated tiny fractures can lead to changes in posture and even disability. The condition affects four times more women than men.
Because she presented with multiple risk factors -- family history, small frame, and over age 50 -- Field's doctor had been monitoring her bone health. She received a bone density test early on to serve as a baseline and several follow-up tests to determine the rate of bone loss. Early detection has allowed her to take additional measures to maintain her bone structure. Women over age 40 are encouraged to speak to their doctor about their risk factors for osteoporosis and decide when a baseline bone density test should be taken. Regardless of age, women (and girls) should participate in regular weight-bearing exercise and choose plenty of calcium-rich foods to help build and maintain strong bones.
With osteoporosis, bone becomes fragile and is more prone to fractures. While any bone can be affected, hip, spine, and wrist bones are the most common sites for injury. Repeated tiny fractures can lead to changes in posture and even disability. The condition affects four times more women than men.
Because she presented with multiple risk factors -- family history, small frame, and over age 50 -- Field's doctor had been monitoring her bone health. She received a bone density test early on to serve as a baseline and several follow-up tests to determine the rate of bone loss. Early detection has allowed her to take additional measures to maintain her bone structure. Women over age 40 are encouraged to speak to their doctor about their risk factors for osteoporosis and decide when a baseline bone density test should be taken. Regardless of age, women (and girls) should participate in regular weight-bearing exercise and choose plenty of calcium-rich foods to help build and maintain strong bones.
Powerful Girls: Building bone health early
Healthy Kids, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
It's never too early to start instilling healthy habits in young children. The National Bone Health Campaign has taken this tactic and promotes bone-healthy habits for girls ages 9-12. Building strong bones -- especially before women reach age 30 -- is a critical preventive measure for osteoporosis. Helping young girls understand bone-healthy habits encourages them to maintain these behaviors for a lifetime.
Milk isn't the only tool in a parent's bone-health toolbox. Plenty of foods are rich in calcium. Other dairy products like yogurt and cheese are also good choices -- but opt for low-fat versions when possible. Many dark green vegetables such as bok choy, spinach, kale, broccoli, and collards are good sources of calcium. Sesame seeds, almonds, and whole-wheat English muffins are other unexpected calcium-rich foods. In addition, you can also find calcium-fortified orange juice, soy drinks, and tofu.
Nutrition is just one half of the bone-health equation. Get your kids outside and playing! Weight-bearing activities like basketball, jogging, karate, hiking, and jumping rope build muscle mass and strengthen bone. (Non-weight-bearing activities like swimming and bike riding are also great for your child's health but don't contribute to bone strength.)
Powerful Girls Have Powerful Bones is a fun and informative website with information, resources, and games for girls.
Milk isn't the only tool in a parent's bone-health toolbox. Plenty of foods are rich in calcium. Other dairy products like yogurt and cheese are also good choices -- but opt for low-fat versions when possible. Many dark green vegetables such as bok choy, spinach, kale, broccoli, and collards are good sources of calcium. Sesame seeds, almonds, and whole-wheat English muffins are other unexpected calcium-rich foods. In addition, you can also find calcium-fortified orange juice, soy drinks, and tofu.
Nutrition is just one half of the bone-health equation. Get your kids outside and playing! Weight-bearing activities like basketball, jogging, karate, hiking, and jumping rope build muscle mass and strengthen bone. (Non-weight-bearing activities like swimming and bike riding are also great for your child's health but don't contribute to bone strength.)
Powerful Girls Have Powerful Bones is a fun and informative website with information, resources, and games for girls.
Bones: Are you in the know?
Healthy Aging, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness
You may know that the thigh bone is connected to the shin bone, but how much do you know about bone health? WebMD has a quick and easy quiz you can take to find out.I was surprised at some of the things I didn't know about taking care of my bones. Without giving away the answers (don't want to be a spoiler sport like my husband over at TV Squad), the type of exercise best for bones, how often to take supplements and at what age for the best benefits were stumpers for me.
The quiz also got me thinking about a little known bone-building fact that wasn't included in the quiz. Vitamin K is now being shown as playing a key role in building bones. While calcium from foods and vitamin D from the sun are good, don't forget your leafy greens.
